Ukrainian and Russian seafarer had been good. It is only the German shipowner is specific, hungry for cheap crew. The limits are lowered, rapid promotions in order to fill the gaps and to avoid #1 any salary increase any shortage could cause. The price later on all to pay. Like once those Kiribati, once the quality too low, all German shipowners pulled out of the market at once. Took some years a few returned attracted by the low price. Same may happen in Russia and Ukraine one day. Flights from Frankfurt to China meanwhile heavyly filled by German crew managers looking for new and cheaper sources.
The result of this barbarian ship management, the job is becoming more and more unattractive, either as the crew gets less and less in their home country for owners US dollars while food prices rapidly increasing, it is however the safety situation which does raise a lot of concern. Accidents are rapidly increasing, doubled during the last 5 years. Insurance premiums expected to rise by 30% in 2008. Less qualified and less experienced crew. They even can’t get superintendents anymore. Who actually wants to work in some Hamburg office where already 3-5 superintendents missing and paper piled up to the ceiling? Eventually they could obtain a work visa for anyone from outside the EU, they only have to pay a salary of Euro 85.000.
The quality of ships is going down. Build only to please charterers and investors, hardly any space left for the crew to work, in some engine rooms even to breath. Constant leaks as poor quality of fabrication, all accepted as high quality standard by some GL classification in China. Quality of crew going down, not enough, quick training, rapid promotions. Who wants to be caught? They always do put now the crew in prison to rot. Forget about the owner, he is not going to help you, instead will put all blame on you. Like to swim in the ocean? As a responsible senior officer should realize, money isn’t worth it anymore, work conditions do become unacceptable with all this ISM paper nightmare and ISPS while the risk is simply getting to high. Let the port state control only discover that black hose and you will regret ever having signed a contract with that (German?) owner.
TV on the bridge already pretty normal. Especially in the channel, TV from both sides. Such owners do not invest in satellite TV, not to mention with all the ISM paperwork is there actually any other time left to watch a movie 
Guess it is one of these German owners better not to work for … and right, Owers love putting nationalities against each other, better cheaper etc … don’t fall for that, to the end, once the vessel down all are the same, in a small little boat just fighting for survival.